Conventional canted coil springs have tangential points of contact between each coil and one or more flat surfaces of a groove in which the spring is partly or fully received. The noted tangential points of contact are formed by the elliptical coils of the spring contacting the one or more flat surfaces of the groove. Because contact between the coils and the groove occurs at one or more points, a limited contact surface area is available for thermal and/or electrical conductivity.